Visible-light enabled one-pot three-component Petasis reaction for synthesis of α-substituted secondary sulfonamides/amides/hydrazides

We report herein an efficient three-component photoredox-catalyzed Petasis reaction. Under the optimized conditions using [Ir{dFCF3PPy}2(dtbpy)]PF6 as the photocatalyst, a wide range of sulfonamides, amides and hydrazides can efficiently undergo imine formation with various benzaldehydes followed by radical α-alkylation with alkyltrifluoroborates in presence of sodium hydrogen sulfate. The operationally simple protocol allows rapid access to structurally diverse α-substituted secondary sulfonamides, amides and hydrazides in moderate to high yields.